Seavue request.pdfz
Seavue Condominium
Seavue Association of Apartment Owners
A Washington State Non-profit Organization
1130 5th Avenue South #131
Edmonds, WA 98020
Leif Bjorback
City of Edmonds
Building Official
Development Services Department
121 5th Avenue N.
Edmonds, WA 98020
Re; Fire Door Revision Request
Permit # 20130603
C;r
The Seavue Condominium requested a revision of the approved plans that includes the
removal of two separation fire doors on the three residential floors within the
envelope. This request was made based on a number of factors of which we would like
to articulate.
We consider the safety of our residents and guests to be paramount in our overall
objective. We are trying to resolve issues based on the current condition of a 1979
building by mitigating the fire prevention risk in the most appropriate manner though it
may not fall within standard compliance of IBC 2009 edition requirements. However
requirements can be meet though objectives based on consideration of IBC 2009
edition, Section 104.11 as an alternative construction method and should amply satisfy
and comply with the intent of the provisions of the code.
We found the building to be lacking in many areas that seerned compliant in fire
safety. Specifically some of the issues include: the two internal hallway separation doors
on each residential floor vary in placement and do not stack upon one another in order to
offer a compliant stack barrier. In addition the fire separation doors are required to be in
alignment with the unit's fire separation barrier, which they are not. There is no provision
to mitigate this in the entire corridor area with the exception of the furthest west end
where some additional separation was added.
The revised drawing shows the actual separation door placement, which cannot be
clearly seen by observation. Measurement of the doors clearly shows the imperfection
as indicated on the residential floors. We have offered supporting data as provided in
Section 104.11.1 relating to Our research inspection. Not only are the separation doors
placed improperly, we found there was no type of fire block where the fire doors where
built. Supporting evidence of this are pictured in the attached Exhibit "A" offering a view
of one of the doors on the third residential floor. This shows how far off sorne of the
doors are from the where the 'fire door should have been located. In addition inspection
of all the fire doors throughout the envelope, which includes those at the stairwells in
addition to the internal separation doors, do have compliant 90 minute rated doors, but
all the jams are 20 minute fire rated negating the barrier itself.
Because of these deficiencies, as outlined, we have alternatively offered Solutions that
mitigate the risks and provides for a higher safety solution and remedies fire prevention
offering real protection. The solutions are provided in the revision plans as identified oil
permit revision #3 dated July 26, 2013. On page A-1.1, we call for installation of a
replacement fire alarm systern. This would replace the existing fire alarm Control panel
(FACE') with a state of the art analog addressable FACP and new power supply.
The installation includes new detection devices in common areas to provide complete
automatic and manual detection; replaces existing bells in common areas with ADA
compliant synchronized horn strobes; provides magnetic door holders, which were
previously approved in the current permit, on corridor / stairwell doors with specifications
as outlined on page A-2.1 of the revision, and prewires the elevator machine room for
planned future elevator panel upgrade. The system will also allow for offsite monitoring
with a U.L. Listed monitoring device that is not currently in place. All exit signs will be
replaced and new LED emergency lighting are to be installed.
Each of the two stairwells on each of the residential floors and the one basement entry
which provide for the envelope will have new 90 -minute medal fire rated frames and
doors installed. At the front east entrances we are relocating the current fire door from its
current position 1' west to avoid conflict with the fire extinguisher cabinet and to allow for
the opening of the door not to interfere with the flow path of the staircase. This is
detailed in the architectural drawings on page A-2.2, A-2.3, and A-2.4.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Freundlich, President
Jerome Freundlich
1130 5Ih Ave. S #304
Edmonds, WA 98020
E: presideiit@seavue.org
r: 425.771.5541
Above — P Floor residential — fire door
Tape shows units fire separation wall
Above shows 20 minute rated door frame
that are on all corridor/stairwell door frames
Exposed opening adjacent to the 3rd
floor resident fire door
Showing no fire block of any kind